The 2026 Nobel Prizes
Active · last development Oct 7: “Sleep, appetite, gene-editing experts contend for Nobel chemistry prize”
The 2026 Nobel Prizes began on October 5 with the medicine prize, awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for discoveries in optogenetics.[1] Francis Halzen won the physics prize for his work on neutrinos,[2] and Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai won the chemistry prize for their work in asymmetric chemistry.[3] The Peace Prize is to be announced in Oslo on Friday, October 9.[4]
What this arc covers
The 2026 Nobel Prizes: the speculation before the announcements, the medicine prize for research into brain activity, the physics prize to Francis Halzen for his work on ghost particles, the chemistry prize to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai for their work on asymmetric chemistry, and the run-up to the Peace Prize.
Earliest story we hold Sep 30, 2026 · 13 stories · 65 independent sources (counted once each) · 7 days
Background
The 2026 Nobel Prizes opened with the medicine prize, announced at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm on October 5.[5] It went to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel "for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics," which uses light and genetics to control individual cells;[1] Deisseroth, a Stanford professor, surprised his children with the news.[6] On October 6, Francis Halzen, a Belgian-American physicist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, won the physics prize for his work on neutrinos, tiny cosmic particles that may offer clues to how the universe evolved,[2] and said years of October "misery" were finally over.[7] On October 7, Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the chemistry prize for resolving how molecules exist in non-identical mirror images.[3]
Before the Peace Prize announcement, experts floated the International Space Station as a contender,[8] Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney drew buzz for his stand against President Donald Trump,[9] and experts saw Trump's own chances as minimal.[4]
Supporting stories (9)
- Nobel medicine prize goes to 3 scientists for research into brain activity
- Nobel Prize in physics awarded to Francis Halzen for work on mysterious ghost particles
- Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for unraveling mystery of asymmetric chemistry
- Nobel Peace Prize haunted by the 'spectre' of Trump
- The Nobel Prize week is kicking off in Stockholm with the medicine award
- Stanford professor surprises kids after winning Nobel Prize
- Nobel winner Halzen says years of October ‘misery’ finally over
- A galactic Nobel? Experts float the International Space Station among contenders for the Peace Prize
- Mark Carney’s stand against Trump leads to Nobel Peace Prize and Time Person of the Year buzz
Overview updated Oct 7, 2026
Part of The Nobel Prizes
- María Corina Machado's Nobel Peace Prize and her presentation of it to TrumpOct 10, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026
- The 2026 Nobel PrizesThis arcSep 30 – Oct 7, 2026
Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning
Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below
- Oct 2A galactic Nobel? Experts float the International Space Station among contenders for the Peace Prize5 articles · 5 independent sources
- Oct 5 – 7Nobel medicine prize goes to 3 scientists for research into brain activity80 articles · 48 independent sources
- Oct 6 – 7Nobel Prize in physics awarded to Francis Halzen for work on mysterious ghost particles58 articles · 42 independent sources
- Oct 6 – 7Nobel Prize in chemistry set to be awarded in Stockholm10 articles · 7 independent sources
- Oct 7Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for unraveling mystery of asymmetric chemistry34 articles · 31 independent sources
Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side
LeftCenterRight
Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.
Every week as a table
| Week of | Left | Center | Right | Articles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2026 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Oct 5, 2026 | 17 | 40 | 3 | 191 |
28% left · 68% center · 4% right of 65 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 13 stories.
Every storyoldest first
September 2026
Sep 30Mark Carney’s stand against Trump leads to Nobel Peace Prize and Time Person of the Year buzz2 articles · 2 independent sources1 left, 0 center, 0 rightOctober 2026
Oct 2A galactic Nobel? Experts float the International Space Station among contenders for the Peace Prize5 articles · 5 independent sources1 left, 1 center, 1 right- Oct 4– 6WATCH LIVE: Winner of the 2026 Nobel Prize in chemistry is …3 articles · 1 independent sources1 left, 0 center, 0 right
- Oct 5– 7Nobel medicine prize goes to 3 scientists for research into brain activity80 articles · 48 independent sources8 left, 21 center, 1 right
- Oct 5The Nobel Prize week is kicking off in Stockholm with the medicine award4 articles · 4 independent sources0 left, 1 center, 0 right
- Oct 6– 7Nobel Prize in physics awarded to Francis Halzen for work on mysterious ghost particles58 articles · 42 independent sources5 left, 18 center, 2 right
- Oct 6– 7Nobel Prize in chemistry set to be awarded in Stockholm10 articles · 7 independent sources2 left, 0 center, 0 right
- Oct 6– 7Nobel winner Halzen says years of October ‘misery’ finally over2 articles · 2 independent sources0 left, 1 center, 0 right
- Oct 6Stanford professor surprises kids after winning Nobel Prize8 articles · 1 independent sources0 left, 1 center, 0 right
- Oct 7Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for unraveling mystery of asymmetric chemistry34 articles · 31 independent sources3 left, 14 center, 2 right
- Oct 7Nobel Peace Prize haunted by the 'spectre' of Trump2 articles · 2 independent sources0 left, 1 center, 0 right
- Oct 7Sleep, appetite, gene-editing experts contend for Nobel chemistry prize2 articles · 2 independent sources0 left, 1 center, 0 right